Faults and Blizzards
by This Is My Escape
Summary: Six months after their divorce, Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore are forced to spend Christmas together. AH. AU. Rated M.


**Wow, this is my third prompt-fill for the DE Author-to-Author Exchange on LiveJournal. I wrote this for alittledanger whose prompt was pretty spectacular, if I do say so myself. Had to write it. Alittledanger, I hope you enjoy it! Inspiration really struck with this one! ~Kate**

**The prompt was this:** "**I would really just like a really hot and heavy, full of angst fic of Damon and Elena. The two of them estranged, maybe with different people... only to be stuck in the same house after Caroline and Stefan invite the gang over for Christmas. They were okay for a bit but then the two of them start fighting which leads one to storm out and the other to follow. somehow ending up in a cabin nearby... only something happens which leaves the two stuck there on christmas eve night. Blizzard so no one can get to them and they have to wait it out." **

**Thank you to Jenn for beta-reading and Morgan for pre-reading. They cranked this out in record time. Enjoy, everyone! ~Kate**

**Trigger-warning for adultery. I don't condone it at all, but it is in here.**

* * *

><p>She couldn't make herself get out of the car.<p>

Elena had been staring at the lake house through her snow-dusted windshield for the last ten minutes, trying to will herself to leave, but failing. Her car was still running, but she'd turned her headlights and windshield wipers off. The view of the old vacation home she'd spent many summers at with her friends was swiftly disappearing behind white powder. The weather hadn't seemed too bad when she got in the car over an hour ago, but, being by a lake, it had a tendency to be worse.

She watched as the house became illuminated with another pair of headlights. Looking in her side mirror she saw another car pulling up. Stefan and Caroline. Well, at least they hadn't backed out on her. She'd been tempted to do the same, but Caroline had threatened to revoke her best friend discount at Classy Care Designs, her new fashion endeavor. The line spread from casual to formal, and everything in between and Elena used her discount to buy pencil skirts, blouses, heels, the works, for Salvatore Publishing. Never one to wear the same thing twice, even if she'd rather be in jeans, sneakers, and a cardigan while working on her latest novel.

She turned off the ignition and climbed out of her Escape, jamming her hands into her pockets as her best friend and husband of four years walked side by side. "Merry Christmas, best friend!" the blonde squealed, throwing her arms around Elena's shoulders and squeezed tight.

"Merry Christmas, Care," she laughed, looking at Stefan and nodding to him with a small smile. Ever since her divorce with his brother six months before, things had been strained between everyone. It was hard because they'd all been close. She now avoided Sunday brunch with them because while it was held at Stefan and Caroline's house, Damon was his brother and he was the one who always suggested they'd stay home while Elena insisted on spending at least a couple of hours with her best friend, and he with his brother.

Caroline told her that while she wanted to avoid their mess, she would keep her in the loop. Every weekend he'd show up for brunch, all on his own, but lately he'd started bringing someone with him. Not that it mattered much to Elena. She didn't have a say in whom he could and couldn't see. He didn't belong to her anymore.

"No matter what happens tonight," Caroline said, never losing the brightness in her smile. "It's the holidays and I'll be damned if I let his ego ruin it. I've got your back. He acts up and I'll smack him."

Stefan pursed his lips together and honestly, Elena felt bad for the tough spot he was in. She knew he couldn't betray his brother by saying too much, by talking to the enemy she apparently was, but he was also married to the enemy's best friend. It was sad, but that was the situation and like it or not, he was in between a rock and a hard place.

"Come on," Stefan said while wrapping an arm around his wife's waist, "we need to get you inside." His eyes briefly met Elena's and Caroline shrugged, slipping an arm through his. She walked with him up the steps and into the lake house Elena had spent almost four summers with her ex-husband. She followed behind and as they stepped through the door, she paused, biting her lip as a particular memory overtook her.

"_What are you doing?" she laughed as she was swept up and into his arms, curling her arm around his neck and running her fingers through his hair._

_Damon kissed her sharply before nuzzling his face into her neck. "What's it look like I'm doing? I'm carrying my girl over the threshold."_

"_As much as I love being your girl," she said softly, lifting her left hand to the side of his face and stroking her thumb over his jaw. "I am so happy to be your wife. I love you, Damon."_

_He gave her the smirk that had been one of the many catalysts in making her fall in love with him. "I love you too, baby."_

"Earth to Elena!" a bubbly voice scolded. Instantly ripped out of her reverie, she found Caroline glaring at her and gesturing for her to go into the house. "Get inside before you get hypothermia! I do _not_ want to have to make another trip to the hospital tonight."

Her eyes snapped to her best friend and quickly stepped into the house, shutting the door. "Another trip?" she asked, as her brows dipped with concern. "What do you mean another trip?"

Caroline's mouth fell open. Apparently she hadn't meant to let it slip that she'd needed to be seen by a doctor. Elena went to ask for more details, when someone cut her off.

"Well, well, well, look who the Barbie doll dragged in."

Swallowing hard, Elena tried to ignore her heart's response to his voice. "Hello, Damon."

"Elena." His oceanic eyes flashed as a less-than-friendly smile crept across his face. She knew that look. "I'd say it's nice to see you, but –"

"But nothing," Caroline barked. Elena looked over and saw the blonde glaring daggers at her brother-in-law with crossed arms as she stepped away from her husband. "You are _not_ starting anything tonight, Salvatore, or so help me –"

He scoffed. "What are you gonna do about it, Blondie?" He gestured with his arms at her body. "A gal in your condition–"

"Enough, Damon," Stefan said with a stern tone. He came up behind Caroline and added softly, his eyes falling to the back of her head. "Not tonight."

Elena watched as a flash of concern crossed Damon's face as he glanced from his brother to his sister-in-law. As quickly as it had appeared, the look vanished. "Fine." He shrugged and replied casually, "I'll behave if she does." And then he turned around and walked down the hall, no doubt going into the kitchen. A brilliant cook, her ex-husband was, and she had zero concerns about her food being undercooked or over-seasoned.

The action of Stefan rubbing his hands down Caroline's arms distracted her from thoughts of ex-husbands and food and she watched as her bubbly friend's eyelashes drifted shut for a brief moment. She inhaled a deep breath, leaning against her beau's chest.

"You're okay," he whispered and she nodded.

"I know." Caroline took his hand in hers and squeezed. "Thank you."

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Elena asked, unwilling to stay out of the dark any longer. She looked at each of them as they both gave her fake expressions of confusion. "Don't look at me like that. What's wrong?" she asked Caroline. "And don't bother lying, because I saw Damon's face. Whatever it is, he knows about it."

Stefan hadn't taken his eyes off his wife for a second during her outburst, but when Elena found her best friend's eyes again, her heart twisted. There were tears swimming in them and her gut told her she'd not been mistaken. Something was wrong.

"Care?"

The blonde licked her lips and quickly wiped away an errant tear. "We found out the reason for those cramps I've been having…why they've been so bad." She knew by the look on her friend's face that if she tried to say anymore, she'd lose it.

Elena looked at Stefan and, because he was still standing behind Caroline, his wife couldn't see the pain in his eyes when he shook his head. That response told her that there was in fact something very wrong with their pregnancy, but she wasn't about to open that can of worms. Like Stefan had said, not tonight. Tonight was not a night for remorse or sadness but a night to be with loved ones.

"Well, sweetie," Elena said, gently pulling her out of Stefan's arms and looping her own thorough Caroline's. "It's Christmas Eve. You know what that means. You and I have a popcorn-stringing tradition, if memory serves."

A small smile spread over her best friend's face, and a little bit of that light came back into her blue eyes. "Yes, we do." She looked over Caroline's shoulder and with Stefan's appreciative nod, she walked with her into the living room to get started on trimming the tree.

"I can't believe you haven't done anything with it yet," Elena said as she stared up at the eight food pine. "It'll be 2015 by the time we finish."

"Nonsense!" Caroline retorted, seemingly back to her bubbly self. "We've got time. Obviously, I can't climb the ladder but I'll take the lower half it you tackle the top?"

"Yes, ma'am." Elena turned around just as Damon spoke, fighting the urge to melt at seeing those perfectly oceanic eyes.

"Dinner's almost ready, ladies and brother man."

Her ex-husband stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room, throwing a towel over his shoulder. He looked at his brother, speaking silently in a language that she'd mastered with Damon when they'd been married. You know someone long enough and you start to pick up things, know things, and she knew Damon better than he knew himself. Elena caught Stefan's miniscule shrug, so small she'd have missed it if she hadn't already been looking at him. Caroline was too distracted with trying to figure out how she wanted to hang the ornaments. With the way they were laid out on the couch, it seemed like she was stuck between decorating via size of the ornament or by pattern.

Damon looked at Elena then and then tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen, making her stomach flip.

He wanted to talk.

Elena walked around the couch, hoping he didn't want to get into anything but vaguely remembering his promise to behave. Stefan stopped her, speaking very quietly so as not to alert Caroline to their conversation. "Please, don't start anything tonight," he said in a low voice. "You've got the control where emotions are concerned…I don't want her to stress any more than she already is."

"I understand," she whispered back. "I didn't come here to fight with him, Stef."

The truth was that she didn't know why she'd come. She'd told herself it had been because she loved Caroline and even though things were tense, she loved Stefan too. Losing Jeremy to a drug addiction, and her parents to a car accident, they were her family now – one that had been threatened to disappear with her and Damon's divorce. She'd done everything and would do anything to keep them in her life - bitter ex be damned.

A small part of her, however (that was maybe a bit bigger than she'd originally thought), whispered that she came to make things right with the man she still loved.

Stefan stepped aside so that she could follow Damon into the kitchen, and she found him stirring something, steam rising from the pot. "Took you long enough."

"What are you making?" she asked.

"Hot chocolate."

Her brow jumped. "Over the stove?"

"I told you, it's better than in the microwave like that packaged crap. We're not married anymore, you get no say in how I cook."

Her throat tightened, hurt by his words but knowing he was completely right. She couldn't cook, had never been able to, but she knew the jibe under the seemingly light phrase. Damon lifted the spoon full of dark liquid and gestured for her to come closer. When she did, but didn't make another move, Damon exhaled sharply. He was annoyed by having to elaborate what he wanted her to do.

"Taste, _before_ it gets cold and voids the point of this drink."

She glared at him, a shred of her calm demeanor slipping. "I'll burn myself."

"Jesus," he said with a roll of his eyes and blew lightly (albeit dramatically) on the steaming drink. "Better? Look, I added something to it and I want to know what you think."

Cautiously, she took the wooden spoon in between her lips and drank, letting the sweetness overwhelm her tongue as she sucked the utensil clean. She smiled at the stunned, heated expression on her ex's face. She had to admit, getting a rise out of him in that way still pleased the hell out of her.

His voice was gravelly when he said the word, "Wow."

"That's supposed to be my line," she teased. "It's really good, Damon. What did you put in it?"

He smirked. "That's for me to know, and you to dot, dot, dot –"

"Funny."

That lopsided grin widened. "Always."

It was her turn to roll her eyes and she looked over her shoulder to make sure neither Stefan nor Caroline was listening. She wanted to know more about her friend's condition, but knew that she needed to respect their wishes by not asking them. Hence, Plan B. "What do you know about Caroline's health?"

He paused for a moment, before moving the pot of hot chocolate off the stove. "I am not going to answer that."

She balked at him, her eyes turning angry. "Why the hell not?" she hissed, a bit of her control vanishing.

"Because I like knowing something you don't?" He said it like it was a mundane fact, like he'd answer the question to what color the sky is, or how many months in a year there are.

"My best friend is sick and if her baby, my goddaughter is in trouble, then–"

"Relax, Elena," he said seriously, his voice soft as he lost every ounce of his jackass façade immediately. He must have caught the look on her face because his facial muscles relaxed, his body following suit. "Blondie's strong. She's struggling, and Stef's told me there are times when the pain is pretty bad, but again, from what Stefan's told me, she'll be fine. As long as she stays calm."

Her eyes started tearing up before she could contain them and her head bowed as she gripped the island countertop. "She's been through so much this year, Damon," she whispered. "First her mom gets diagnosed with cancer, and she gets taken from her so quickly that none of us can brace ourselves and now –"

"Hey," he said just as quietly, cutting her off and walking around the island to face her full-on. She shook her head and turned around, looking up at the ceiling and trying unsuccessfully to fight off her tears. "Elena, look at me."

She whipped around and wore a pained smile as she threw her arms out. "What is it with this family?" she choked out with a laugh. "I mean _everything_ that can go wrong does, and now it's not just us who can barely hold a pregnancy. We fell apart because of it, and God forbid they do the same."

Damon flinched. The look in his eyes went from shock and then to pain, and he opened his mouth to respond.

"No, Damon, I get why you strayed that night. It was my fault." He started shaking his head and she mimicked the opposite. "Yes, it was. It was my fault, I made our nights together all about conceiving and had I left it alone – had I just enjoyed being us, and being together, and simply _loving_ you, then maybe we would have succeeded. But I made it more business than romance and soon we weren't even enjoying ourselves anymore." He just watched her go on, not saying a word. It wasn't like she'd let him get a word if he had. "When the second pregnancy failed, and we tried again, you started faking it, Damon! _Faking it_! Even back when we weren't trying, even when you were exhausted, you still…you _always..._," she coughed, failing to hold back her sobs any longer.

He didn't move a muscle as she tried to calm herself down, feeling the storm in her head worsening and her tears falling harder.

"I don't even know why I've waited this long to just come out with it, but with Caroline's situation and…God, I don't know, but it's sure as hell coming out now. Look, Damon, I get it. I hate it and it still hurts like a bullet through the heart, but I get it. I drove you to it – to her. I'm the reason you strayed and slept with another woman. I'm the reason our marriage failed and I've got no one to blame but myself."

As soon as she choked that last part out, she bolted into the mud room and out the back door, leaving Damon speechless at her outburst.

She didn't know why she'd fled, but now that she was running she found she couldn't stop. The snow was falling unrelentingly in white sheets so thick she could barely see three feet in front of her but she still ran. She ran until her lungs burned – it hadn't taken long for them to, three minutes in this weather was enough for her lungs to feel like they were being stabbed by icicles and only then did she slow her pace.

Hard shudders rippled through her and she realized in her panicked flee that she'd forgotten everything: her coat, her gloves, her scarf. They were lying on the back of the couch in the living room. She turned around to head back and for the second time, panic rocked her. She couldn't see a damn thing other than tall, dark shapes that she knew were trees but were practically unrecognizable in this weather.

She turned again, following her instincts, walking with her arms crossed over her body to retain her body heat until she came across an old cabin. There was an even older looking tree hanging dangerously nearby and she tried the handle, finding with a swell of relief that it was unlocked. She stepped through and furiously started rubbing her arms up and down for warmth as she took in her dark surroundings.

She tried the light switch, but it didn't work. It could have shorted out during the storm, she thought, but the place looked to be abandoned. There was no telling how long the electricity had been off. With no light, she walked around blind. About eight steps in, she cried out, having quite forcefully run her knee into something sharp. Once the pain ebbed a bit, she continued to blindly maneuver around the darkened cabin.

Touching something soft, her hands continued to feel along until she realized what she was touching was a chair, a recliner if she was guessing correctly. It rocked and it was soft and she winced as she had to bend her knees to feel along the side for a lever. She was right. It was located near the bottom and when she pulled it, the chair popped open, elongating into exactly what she'd been expecting. She curled up in the recliner, into a little ball and began to wait out the blizzard.

She just hoped she didn't freeze to death in the meantime.

* * *

><p>Dammit, Damon silently swore. That stubborn little…<p>

It was cold as hell outside and she'd just bolted into a blizzard without giving it a second thought. After turning off the burners and telling his brother to get the table set and food on the plates, he grabbed his coat, grabbed hers and chased after her. She couldn't have gone that far because he couldn't see a fucking thing and Elena wasn't stupid – aside from her leaving her coat at the lake house when it was in the negatives during a snowstorm.

Twenty minutes of searching passed, his leaving her more voicemails than he'd ever left her when they were still married, when he came across a weary, old cabin. He tried the lock, opening the door all the way and stepping inside.

"Elena?"

"Damon?" a quiet voice replied. The relief he heard in it was unmistakable.

Relief washed over him as well. She was safe. "Why are all the lights off?"

"D-dunno," she answered shakily. "They were out w-when I got here."

He looked around, and thought he saw her huddled in the corner. "You in a chair?"

"Yeah. It's the w-warmest thing in this place."

He frowned at the way she kept stuttering. "You're not turning into a popsicle on me now, are you?" he asked, carefully maneuvering through the dark was glad he'd thought to move slowly because he bumped into what seemed to be a coffee table. He leaned down and ran his hand along the edge. Fuck, that was sharp. He got closer to Elena and, his sight having adjusted to the darkness, could just barely make out the features of her face…her gorgeous, heart-flipping face.

Shaking the thought away, Damon approached her and held out his hand for her to take. She wrapped her arms around herself further and concern for her reluctance panged at him. "Come on, pouty. It's a million times warmer back at the lake house."

"I-I can't walk. I m-messed up my knee and can't p-put any weight on it."

He jumped when a loud _crash!_ sounded, and he whirled around to find what little light had been shining through the door's window had gone completely black. He turned the light of his phone on. It still wasn't late enough to be dark, which meant one thing. Feeling a small burst of panic, Damon quickly – carefully – raced over to the door. When he opened it, he groaned out loud.

Something was blocking the door.

That damn, old-as-hell tree had collapsed. They were trapped. "Uh-oh."

"Damon?" Elena asked, her voice quiet but he could hear the note of worry in her voice.

"Nothing to worry about," he looked over his shoulder and shot her a smirk she probably couldn't see considering the increased lack of light and distance between them. "Little speed bump in the rescue mission." He looked down at his phone and swore softly.

"What's wrong?"

"No service in the middle-of-freaking nowhere…go figure." He jammed his phone into his pocket and went back to her. He sat on the edge of the coffee table. "Can I take a look at it?"

"I-I don't know," she forced out. "Can you?"

"Injured and cold, you made a funny." He heard her scoff and could imagine her rolling her eyes. He chuckled with a shake of his head and gently pried her hands – her freezing cold hands – away from her legs enough to capture the one she was favoring more. "Let me see," he said softly. Registering the hesitation in her movement he added, "I won't hurt you, Elena."

"I've h-hurt you." He winced, and was grateful she couldn't see it. "Wouldn't blame you i-if y-you hurt me..."

The trailed off sentence yanked at him, knowing she'd wanted to add on _again _but didn't. "I already have hurt you," he said honestly, gingerly running his fingers along her knee. "Silver lining, it doesn't feel like you've broken anything."

"M-maybe not, but then there's my h-heart. Want to take another crack at _it_?"

He swallowed hard and glared at her, this time wishing she _could_ see his face as he couldn't hold it in anymore. "Elena, despite what you may think, I don't take pleasure in your pain. Knowing I hurt you by sleeping with my boss hurt the hell out of me too when it was done, but what was I supposed to do? You said it yourself, you made it more about the baby than about us…but I'd never meant to go to her. I got drunk and then I just found myself there, and then when I woke up and I was in her bed instead of ours…" He gulped, surprised that he was being this vulnerable with her after all the time that had passed. "It messed me up. Big time. I ran to the toilet sick with the terrifying thought of facing you, and when I finally got home, finally got the courage to tell you –"

"I-It was over."

"It was over."

A minute passed before she said, "I'm sorry."

He hadn't been expecting an apology. But she wasn't the one who owed one. Not really. She may have tried to force things to go a certain way when clearly fate didn't have the same idea, but he was the one who'd blown apart their marriage. That one was all on him. "I'm the one who's sorry, Elena. I'm the one who ruined us."

Another minute passed, and then another and when her silence continued to be his only answer, his heart jumped. "Elena?"

More silence.

It was then he noticed she wasn't moving.

"Elena, if you're pissed then just tell me you're pissed," he barked, alarmed by her stillness. He cupped her face and cursed at the icy feel of her skin. He held his hand in front of her mouth, hoping to feel breaths, but the warm wafts of air escaping were unnaturally shallow. "Son of a bitch!" He looked around desperately, and shot to his feet in a panic right when he heard foreign sounds coming from outside.

Foreign sounds…and a muffled voice.

"_Damon! Elena! You two idiots get hypothermia and Caroline is kicking all of our asses!"_

Thank Christ, he thought. Damon's head fell forward, instantly relieved by the sound of his brother's voice. A heavy whoosh of breath flew from his lips. He went to Elena, picked her up carefully, slipping his arm underneath her knees. "Damon, I'm sorry," she mumbled weakly. "I'm s-so sorry."

"Shhh, baby," he whispered. "We're getting you out of here and then you can apologize for dragging me out here."

"That's not what I was ap-apologizing f-for, and you k-know it."

"I know." He grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She didn't even react. He needed to get her warm.

"STEFAN!" he shouted, and Elena flinched. "Sorry," he said softly. "Body heat is the only thing helping you right now, but baby bro is just on the other side of that door. STEFAN, WE'RE IN HERE!"

"_Damon?! Why the hell did you go and trap yourselves in the middle of a snowstorm!"_

A burst of shudders rippled through Elena and he looked down to find her smiling. She was laughing, or at least trying to. The absurdity of the night was humorous, he supposed, but he wouldn't relax until they were back at the lake house.

* * *

><p>Hours later, after they were rescued and safe and warm, and Elena no longer felt like an icicle, she woke to the sound of harsh, whispered words being exchanged.<p>

"_What the hell is wrong with you?"_ Caroline hissed. Elena tried to move her legs to get out of bed, but her knee screamed in protest. _"You upset her – you knew she would bolt! Dammit, Damon, she nearly froze to death because of you!"_

"_Keep it down," Damon snarled. "She'll hear you. I'm aware of that, but I also saved her ass – she's alive because of me!"_

"_Well, now that you're both back, alive and somewhat healthy since we were able to help her without hospital interference, thank God…what are you going to do?"_

"_What do you mean, what am I gonna do?" Damon snapped. "I'm gonna go home after this blizzard passes."_

"_And you're just going to pretend like nothing happened?"_

Her best friend was met with silence, and Elena strained to hear him. What she heard next brought tears to her eyes.

"_I saw how you were looking at her when you came back, Damon…you were terrified. I haven't seen you look that afraid since Elena miscarried last year."_

That was it, she decided. She was thankful for her best friend's meddling…except when she wished she wouldn't. Like now, for example. She tried to ignore the pain as she wriggled out of bed, and once her feet hit the floor, she put all of her weight on her good leg and began to limp over to the door and ripped it open. Though right before she did, she heard him say "I can't lose her," and as the door opened wide, he said, "I can't do it again."

And then both pairs of blue eyes slid to hers and Caroline threw a hand over her mouth in surprise. "I…did you…"

"Oh, yeah she did," Damon said, his jaw working under his skin. "The question is, how long has she been eavesdropping?"

Caught like a kid with their hand in the cookie jar, she fumbled. "I…"

"Save it, Elena," he snorted, looking at his sister-in-law and then to his ex. "If you don't mind, Blondie, me and the ex-missus need to have a word." With that, he slid past her into the guest bedroom she'd recuperated in and waited for her to join him. "Any day now, Gilbert."

She rolled her eyes as Caroline eyed her, making sure she was okay to be alone and when she gave her friend the green light, Caroline shrugged. She turned around and walked away, leaving her and Damon alone. Elena shut the door behind her with a soft _click._

"Feeling better, Frosty?"

Looking at him, she caught the slight lift on the corner of his mouth. "Hilarious," she grumbled.

"Always."

Her eyes threatened to move to the ceiling a second time, until they winced with the effort of her making her way back to the bed. Before she knew it, he was in front of her, two pools of blue locked on brown. "You should've known better than to go stumbling through the dark like that."

"You should've known better than to try to keep something like that from me…Caroline is my best friend, Damon, she's like my sister."

"She's also a grown woman who can take care of herself. You know why I kept it from you? Not because I liked knowing something you didn't, but because she flat out asked me _not_ to. She _asked_ me not to say anything. She didn't want you to worry – said you'd get stuck in your head over our issues again." She grimaced and he did too. "Guess you did anyway…I should've…been more gentle…the way I broke it to you earlier. I should've known it would dig up old wounds." Her eyes began to water again and she stared at the bed. She felt his finger hook under her chin and lift her gaze to his. "I'm _sorry_."

"Maybe I should run off more often," she choked with laugh. "I'm getting a lot of apologies from you tonight." He smirked and she gave a small smile of her own. "Damon, thank you. For tonight. I don't know what I would've done without you here."

"Maybe turn into a friend of Olaf?"

"Jokester."

"I try." His grin, this time, looked forced and it made hers fall. They'd fallen into an easy banter, they always did, but when the laughter disappeared, so did their easy nature, and in came the pain. He couldn't mask it with humor forever. "We need to talk, Elena."

"Yes, we do."

"You overheard us."

"I did." He growled at her and she sighed. "I don't know what you want me to say, Damon. We fight. We fought when we were _happy._ When the happiness faded, the fighting got worse. We fought when we weren't, we fought earlier, and we're fighting now."

"But we never got silent."

She looked at him.

"It's the silence that's the problem, Elena, not the noise. Screaming at each other…it's better than not talking at all."

"Didn't feel like it."

"I know." He took a deep breath before hesitantly reaching for her hand. "I know there's a lot of pain, on both of our parts…"

Her response was instant, her eyes lighting up like two Christmas lights. "Yes."

"What?" he asked, and she watched as his did the same. "You don't even know what I was gonna say."

"I don't need to," she smiled, twining their fingers together. "I can't lose you either, not again. I miss you, Damon."

"It'll take time before we can rebuild."

"A lot of time."

"I think we've got the materials," he said with a squeeze of his hand.

"Hope and the will to try…and –"

"Love." He finished for her. "Even when I tried to convince myself I felt the opposite…I never stopped loving you."

Her lip quivered, her broken heart mending with his revelation. Still she needed to know something. "And the girl you bring to Sunday brunch? Caroline told me about her."

He narrowed her eyes. "After she has that kid, I'm wringing her tiny, little –"

"Damon!"

"Twice," he swore to himself. "I only brought her with me twice, look…she's nobody, Elena. She's not the woman I... she's just someone to keep me distracted, a buffer for whenever baby bro or Care bear tried bringing you up. I got sick of 'em."

Her eyes welled with tears for what felt like the dozenth time that night.

"Jesus, it really isn't that big of a deal, babe." He hated it when she cried. "Both times she was there, she felt out of place. I like it better, _so much better,_ when you're there. You can be my distraction for when they start babbling about baby names."

"I can't believe we're having this conversation right now." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and he gripped both of her hands.

His stomach knotted, mentally kicking himself. He should've known better than to bring the baby topic up. "Elena, I –"

"We're doing this?"

"Doing what?" he asked carefully.

"This," she gestured between them. "Trying again? Trying to be _us_ again?"

He nodded slowly, afraid of how she was going to react but when she threw her arms around his neck, and he felt her breasts press against his chest, he knew he couldn't deny it any longer. "You're my life, Elena. My home, and I can't let my idiocy keep me homeless anymore." As he spoke, he leaned into her until he could feel her breath fanning his lips. His eyes drifted to her mouth and his cock twitched when her tongue slipped out to sweep across her lower lip. He glanced up to meet her gaze and what he saw in them had his mouth colliding with hers in seconds.

With his kiss, everything fell back together. Everything fell into place. She moved her mouth with his, reveling in the way their lips seemed to remember their dance. Her hands reached out and undid the buttons of his shirt while he reached for the clasp of her jeans.

"Elena," he gasped against her mouth, easily shrugging her out of her pants. "Baby, please forgive me. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I need it."

"I do," she panted, nodding as she helped him shimmy out of her panties. "Yes, I want this, you, just _yes_." She whimpered as she accidentally bumped her knee and he moved lower, pressing a kiss to it both soothing the pain and stoking a fire in her belly. He then moved his kisses higher until she was clutching at his hair, pressing him closer to the place she needed him most. "Damon," she cried out when he brought her to a climax, not giving a damn who heard.

He lowered her to the mattress, hovering over her. Brushing the fallen hair out of her eyes and seeing unshed tears sparkling in their chocolate depths, he kissed her. He didn't want her to cry anymore. He didn't want to be the reason for her tears ever again. He pressed a kiss to her damp cheeks, and then to each eyelid before settling himself between her thighs and slowly pushing himself inside, feeling his own eyes burn with the rightness of their union.

He'd missed her, and he'd been a fool to think he could walk away…and to think he'd broken her heart by doing the unthinkable, the unforgivable in a marriage. He would spend the rest of his days trying to make it up to her, but knowing he'd never be able to. He could only show her now what she'd always meant to him.

He rocked against her, tangling their fingers above her head while she met him thrust for thrust as they raced toward their releases. He could feel himself nearing, but he couldn't – not until she reached hers first. He let go of one of her hands to drop one of his in between her legs, pressing his fingers to her clit in tight circles, working it until she screamed in joy and then his own orgasm rippled through him. He let loose a guttural moan with his face pressed into her neck, the only coherent thought being that this was right.

This was home. And he'd never stray from it again.

* * *

><p><em>Three Years (and two weeks before Christmas) Later...<em>

"Elizabeth Avery Salvatore, you get your cute little butt over here right now!"

A little girl with blonde, curly hair put her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out at her uncle. Damon shot her a glare but when the toddler started giggling, he couldn't stop the grin from pulling at his lips. When Caroline went into premature labor, everyone had been afraid. Her pregnancy after Christmas had gone through its fair shares of ups and downs. Refusing to take after her mom by being on time _or _fashionably late, the baby had sent her to the hospital a month before she was supposed to make her grand entrance. She was healthy though, and in the end that was all that mattered.

"Uncle Day-min why can't I go play outside? Mommy said I could."

"Well, your mommy is a –"

"Damon," his wife snapped, and he looked over to see Elena's warning stare. "It's barely snowing outside and she's all bundled up. Let Lizzie go and have fun. Don't be a killjoy."

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?"

"Auntie E-lay-na, thank you!" she ran over to the brunette that had stolen his heart twice over and wrapped her little arms around her leg, squeezing tight. "I'll be good! I promise!" With that, she tore out the front door.

Damon grumbled. "If she turns into a pop–"

"Finish that statement and I might just smack you."

"Well, sue me for not wanting to see someone else I love nearly turn into one." He smirked as she batted away at him when he tried to curl an arm around her waist. "That, and...the instincts might be kicking in."

"Might be?" she scoffed, earning a shrug and a bigger smile from him. "You chastised your brother, Lizzie's _father,_ for allowing her to eat cookies for breakfast this morning."

His brows knit together and looked at her indignantly. "She's three-years-old, Elena, she needs more sustenance than that crap!"

"She's three-years-old, Damon, it was a rare treat for her. You know they feed her better than that."

"I refuse to have an obese family member."

She gasped. "Oh, my God are you listening to yourself right now?"

"What?" he retorted. "Excuse me for caring!"

A high-pitched squeal filled their ears and both Damon and Elena took off outside. They were watching their niece for the week while Caroline and Stefan took a vacation from all things Barbies and Dress-Up. Well, it would feel like something of a vacation for the couple, even though technically it was a business trip for Stefan. His client was in another state and they needed to go out of town. Elena had insisted they both take a few extra days to themselves, to enjoy being child-free (even though she wanted that time to herself and her husband). Damon had also reminded her that they could use the jump start. He'd said that practice made perfect, and that they could use all the practice they could get with what little time they had to do it.

He glanced down at her stomach, but she hooked a finger under his chin. She knew she couldn't stifle his protective side. She'd never been and never would be able to, and she loved him for it. His body visibly relaxed once seeing his niece happy and playing.

"See?" she nudged him before threading their fingers together. "She's fine…just a little girl who's enjoying the winter wonderland." Lizzie was throwing the snow up into the air, and dancing around in circles as it fell around her and Elena couldn't fight the smile that spread across her face. She glanced down at her watch and gave her niece five minutes before her nap.

Damon groaned and spun around, sulking into the living room before flopping down on their couch, raking his hands through his hair as he leaned against the cushions. "Help me," he grumbled, looking to her for answers as she took a seat beside him and patted his thigh. "I'm going nuts. I never gave a shit before – hell I'd be the one helping her to build Frosty but now I want her ass in here and out of the cold."

"Sounds like those instincts are a little more intense than you might have thought, aren't they?"

He opened one eye to look at her, a small grin playing on his lips. "You think that's what it is? Going full-blown Papa Bear already?" His hand slid across the cushion and drifted over the bump that was finally starting to show, rubbing his thumb along the material of her shirt. "How are you feeling?"

"Hanging in there," she said, closing her eyes at the feeling of her husband's touch. "It's not so bad today, but I still feel gross."

"You're glowing." This time it was her that popped an eye open to look at him. "What? You are."

"You're just trying to make me feel better."

"Is it working?" At his adorably toothy grin, she did the same and he chuckled. "Knew it would."

"Shut up."

"I can't wait to meet her, baby." He slid downward as his eyes deviated from hers to lock onto her belly. "I can't wait to meet you, kid. You think I'm overbearing with Uncle Stef's little brat? You ain't seen nothin' yet. I'm gonna treat you like a princess so you know the way a lady should be treated when a guy wants you. You make him work for it."

"Damon…" She was never able to stay dry-eyed when he talked to their child, and now was no exception. She laughed tearfully, running her fingers through his hair and enjoying the way he leaned his face into her hand when it reached his cheek. "We don't even know if it's a boy or girl, yet."

"Same speech applies – sort of." He looked to her belly and spoke again. "If you're a boy, I'm gonna teach you the right way to treat a woman. There." She laughed.

When they'd learned of her pregnancy, even though they hoped for the best, they'd prepared for the worst. Her previous pregnancies ended before she'd made it out of the first trimester. This time around, though, they were a few weeks into the second and were being cautiously optimistic about making it to term. Their doctors were, so that encouraged them to be as well.

Reuniting after that Christmas at the lake house had been the start of a long journey between them. Both were willing to forgive and forget, but neither were willing to surrender to the feelings of hurt and betrayal when those tough times did arise. They fought through it. They fought for each other and instead of playing more rounds of the blame game, both took responsibility for their divorce. They wouldn't go through another. This time their union was permanent.

"Auntie E-lay-na," sung a young voice, and Lizzie walked into the living room. She rubbed a fist into her eye. "I'm sleepy."

"Well, that would be because it's nap time." Lizzie yawned, Damon grinned, and Elena rose to her feet. As soon as she did the room spun and she reached out for stability. Her husband was already at her side and helping her back down to the couch.

"You okay?" he asked with worry in his eyes.

"I'm fine," she said quickly. "I'm fine."

"Elena."

"We're fine," she promised, squeezing his hand to soothe him. "I just moved too fast."

"I'll tuck her in," Damon said once he finally believed her, pressing a kiss to his wife's forehead. "BRB, that means –"

She chuckled lightly, lifting a hand to her temple and closing her eyes. "I know what it means…"

"Try not to puke in the meantime."

"I wouldn't feel the need to if you hadn't done this to me," she groaned playfully, keeping her eyes shut. "It's all your fault and you know it."

"I do know." She felt a smiling kiss against her lips and brown eyes locked with blue. "And I'll happily take full blame…even though it does take two to tango. I'll be back." He turned around but she caught him by the wrist and yanked his face to hers.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips. "There's no one else I'd want to do this with."

"Right back at you, babe." His topaz gaze softened, a small smile curved on his lips. "I love you, too."

"Merry Christmas, Damon."

"Merry Christmas, Elena."

_The End_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you so much for reading, and please review! ~Kate<strong>


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